…as Maseru International Meet stages a continental contest
Leemisa Thuseho
LESOTHO is set to host a World Athletics Continental Tour Challenge dubbed the Maseru International Meet, which is expected to draw some of Africa’s finest track and field athletes.
The prestigious event is scheduled for 21 March 2025 at Setsoto Stadium in Maseru and is anticipated to attract elite competitors from across the continent.
Designed to lure strong regional and selected international athletes, the meet will also provide a high-impact marketing platform for sponsors, leveraging Lesotho’s strategic position within Southern Africa.
Financed by World Athletics, the competition will feature men’s events in the 100m, 200m, 400m, 1 500m, 10 000m, 4x100m relay, 4x400m relay, long jump, high jump and triple jump.
The women’s programme will include the 100m, 200m, 400m, 1 500m, 5 000m, 4x100m relay, 4x400m relay, long jump, high jump and triple jump.
Winners of core individual events in both men’s and women’s categories will pocket M16 000, while second- and third-placed finishers will receive M11 000 andM4 800 respectively.
The selected core individual events are the 100m, 400m, 10 000m and long jump.
Federation of Athletics Lesotho (FAL) public relations officer Nkoebe Makhalemele said preparations for the tour are progressing well, although the list of participating countries is yet to be confirmed.
He noted that invitation letters were only dispatched on January 28, 2026, but expressed optimism about attracting a strong field.
“Preparations are ongoing and we hope everything will go according to plan. Given the prize money on offer, the event is likely to attract top competitors,” Makhalemele told the Lesotho Times this week.
He added that it would be encouraging to see local athletes dominate the podium and urged them to prepare thoroughly.
“We hope to have as many participants as possible because we would not want to see the prizes crossing the bridge,” he said.
Beyond the prize money, the Continental Tour will also offer athletes an opportunity to meet qualification standards for the 2026 African Championships, scheduled to be held in Ghana in May.
